Seal

Abstract

A seal between two aircraft surfaces which are able to move relative to each other. A wing tip device moves between a flight configuration and a ground configuration, in which ground configuration the wing tip device is moved away from the fixed wing such that the span of the aircraft wing is reduced. The fixed wing and wing tip device each comprise an outer surface, and a male seal and female seal are arranged such that when the wing tip device is in the flight configuration the female seal receives the male seal, and the female seal and male seal cooperate to provide a smooth transition from the fixed wing outer surface to the wing tip device outer surface.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aircraft comprising:
 an aircraft wing, the aircraft wing comprising a fixed wing and a wing tip device at a tip thereof, wherein the wing tip device is configured to move between: (i) a flight configuration for use during flight; and (ii) a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations,   wherein in the ground configuration the wing tip device is moved away from the flight configuration such that a span of the aircraft wing is reduced,   wherein the fixed wing comprises a fixed wing outer surface and the wing tip device comprises a wing tip device outer surface,   wherein fixed wing comprises a female seal and the wing tip device comprises a male seal, such that when the wing tip device is in the flight configuration the female seal receives the male seal, and the female seal and male seal cooperate to provide a smooth transition from the fixed wing outer surface to the wing tip device outer surface,   wherein the wing tip device rotates about a hinge line in relation to the fixed wing,   wherein the male seal and the female seal meet along respective engagement faces of the male seal and the female seal when the wing tip device is in the flight configuration, and   wherein the respective engagement faces are spaced radially outwardly from the hinge line when the wing tip is in the flight configuration and the ground configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The aircraft as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the aircraft wing comprises a hinge arrangement connecting the fixed wing and the wing tip device. 
     
     
         3 . The aircraft as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the male seal and the female seal comprise materials of different stiffness. 
     
     
         4 . The aircraft as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the male seal is stiffer than the female seal. 
     
     
         5 . The aircraft as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the female seal is resiliently deformable, such that when the wing tip device is in the flight configuration, the female seal is compressed by, and deformed by, the male seal. 
     
     
         6 . The aircraft as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the female seal comprises one or more cavities which allow for deformation of the female seal when compressed by the male seal. 
     
     
         7 . The aircraft as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the one or more cavities run along a longitudinal length of the female seal. 
     
     
         8 . The aircraft as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the respective engagement faces are free from contact along entire lengths of the respective engagement surfaces when the wing tip device is in the ground configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The aircraft as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the smooth transition extends in a direction of flight. 
     
     
         10 . The aircraft as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein an engagement face of the male seal, or an engagement face of the female seal, or both comprise a low friction material. 
     
     
         11 . The aircraft as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the engagement face of the male seal and the engagement face of the female seal meet in a linear plane, a curved plane, a twisted plane, or combination thereof, and
 wherein an angle and an orientation of the linear plane, the curved plane, the twisted plane, or the combination thereof is such that as the wing tip device moves from the flight configuration to the ground configuration, the male seal moves away from the female seal with at least some component of movement perpendicular to the linear plane, the curved plane, the twisted plane, or the combination thereof.   
     
     
         12 . The aircraft as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the male seal is removably connected to the wing tip device. 
     
     
         13 . The aircraft as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the female seal is removably connected to the fixed wing. 
     
     
         14 . An arrangement comprising:
 a first aircraft surface, and   a second aircraft surface,   wherein the first aircraft surface comprises a male seal and the second aircraft surface comprises a female seal,   wherein the female seal receives the male seal,   wherein the female seal and male seal cooperate to provide a smooth transition from the first aircraft surface to the second aircraft surface,   wherein the first aircraft surface and the second aircraft surface are rotate in relation to each other about a hinge line,   wherein the male seal and the female seal meet along respective engagement faces of the male seal and the female seal when the first aircraft surface and the second aircraft surface are rotated to a flight configuration, and   wherein the respective engagement faces are spaced radially outwardly from the hinge line when the first aircraft surface and the second aircraft surface are rotated to a flight configuration and a ground configuration.   
     
     
         15 . The arrangement as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the male seal is stiffer than the female seal. 
     
     
         16 . An aircraft wing comprising:
 a fixed wing and a wing tip device at a tip thereof,   wherein the wing tip device is configured to move between: (i) a flight configuration for use during flight and (ii) a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations,   wherein in the ground configuration the wing tip device is moved away from the flight configuration such that a span of the aircraft wing is reduced,   wherein the fixed wing comprises a fixed wing outer surface and the wing tip device comprises a wing tip device outer surface,   wherein fixed wing comprises a female seal and the wing tip device comprises a male seal, such that when the wing tip device is in the flight configuration the female seal receives the male seal, and the female seal and male seal cooperate to provide a smooth transition from the fixed wing outer surface to the wing tip device outer surface,   wherein the wing tip device rotates about a hinge line in relation to the fixed wing,   wherein the male seal and the female seal meet along respective engagement faces of the male seal and the female seal when the wing tip device is in the flight configuration, and   wherein the respective engagement faces are spaced radially outwardly from the hinge line when the wing tip is in the flight configuration and the ground configuration.